For all of us living with the intense heat of Arizona, keeping cool and understanding the risks of being in extremely high temperatures is a must. One important factor that plays into our overall wellbeing in these conditions is our roof.

As any good roofing company in Gilbert, AZ can tell you, having a well-sealed and cool roof goes a long way toward keeping you comfortable, and even keeping your utility bill under control.

Before you start looking into your roofing options, it’s important to know the facts about roof heat. At Five Guys Construction and Roofing, we know the ins and outs of the way roofs heat up, and what kind of conditions they can withstand. Here are a few of our top tips.

Sunlight is complex

By “complex,” we mean that sunlight is comprised of several important factors. Here’s the short version: Sunlight has various levels of radiation depending on the type of wavelengths it emits. Approximately 43 percent of sunlight’s energy is visible light—the sunshine we see nearly every day. But additionally, there is about 5 percent ultraviolet radiation, which is not visible to the human eye. Likewise, the other 52 percent of the sun’s energy is from infrared radiation—another factor we can’t see, but that we can certainly feel in the form of heat that hits our bodies when we’re exposed to the sun’s rays.

Heat can lead to roof damage

As you may have surmised from the above information, roofs have an enormous job when it comes to fighting off potential damage from the sun. Their job is made even tougher due to the fact that a lot of heat gets trapped in the attic. As temperatures rise, heat rises as well, so on a 90-degree day outside, your attic temperature can be well into the 100s. All this heat presses up toward the roof from the inside, threatening to bake it from underneath as it tries to fight off the rays overhead. Roof decks can warp or soften in response, leading to structural compromises.

Damage comes in several forms

You may be thinking, “Okay, roofs get damaged. But how, exactly?” Well, think about the way sun damages your skin—harmful UV rays and intense heat cause burning, blistering, flaking skin and worse. In a similar way, prolonged heat and sun exposure for a roof can lead to singed and cracked shingles, made brittle by the hot temperatures. In addition to this initial damage, having ruined shingles means water will enter your home if it rains. Now you’re experiencing a hot home and having unfortunate leakage into the attic and lower rooms in the home.

So, what can you do? The most important first step is to establish routine roof inspections for your home—especially as temperatures steadily climb to unbearable highs. If you notice your house is getting too hot, your utility bill is going up or you’re seeing water drips or stains on the ceiling, don’t wait—call Five Guys Construction and Roofing, your premier roofing company in Gilbert, AZ, so we can prevent further damage.